Chia seed beverage and related method

ABSTRACT

A beverage is disclosed that is effective for enhancing gastrointestinal regularity and heart health. It is formed by a liquid comprising fruit derived juices, water or naturally or artificially flavored water. A composition of matter is mixed within the liquid in a shelf stable pasteurized beverage form and formed from sterilized whole seed extracted from  Salvia hispanica  L. The resulting beverage exhibits a pH dependent viscosity requiring no additional thickening agents and suitable as a beverage for human consumption.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon prior filed provisional application Ser.No. 61/020,500 filed Jan. 11, 2008; and provisional application Ser. No.61/020,519 filed Jan. 11, 2008; and provisional application Ser. No.61/020,539 filed Jan. 11, 2008; and provisional application Ser. No.61/020,583 filed Jan. 11, 2008; and provisional application Ser. No.61/020,590 filed Jan. 11, 2008; the disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of chia seed products andderivatives of chia seed products and related methods and uses, forexample, beverages formed from chia seeds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Soybeans have been cultivated for many years throughout the worldforming a food staple of extraordinary value when its seeds are furtherprocessed and refined into its component oil and flour by well-knownprocesses. Unfortunately, soybean seed contains very low levels ofpolyunsaturated fatty acid esters (PUFA's) specifically removed byprocesses such as partial or total hydrogenation of the oil, whichremoves mono and polyunsaturated fatty acid esters. The resulting flouror oil, which could be partially defatted, is suitable for cooking friedfoods because the resulting oil is heat stable due to its lack ofpolyunsaturated fatty acid esters. The resulting partially defattedflour is also processed under heat to remove the majority of theremaining fatty acid ester oils and is used extensively in bakeryapplications either alone or in combination with the phospholipidsderived from the processing of soybeans and/or small portions of refinedsoy oil free of polyunsaturated fatty acid esters. Typical productsinclude Bakers Soy Flour and Soylec sold by Archer Daniels Midland, forexample.

Flax, such as flax seed, has also been cultivated and used extensivelyfor hundreds of years as a plant based source of oils rich in the fattyacids esters of alpha-linoleic acid and linoleic acid. Unfortunately,this seed, e.g., the seed's meal, also contains significant quantitiesof toxic cyanogenic glycosides, Vitamin B antagonists andphytoestrogenic lignans making the seed meal undesirable for humanconsumption. A typical use of flax seed oil is in the production oflinseed oil, which is a readily air polymerized oil and widely known forits use in oil based paints, furniture finishing applications and forthe production of the flooring product commonly known as linoleum. Theuse of linseed oil in these applications relies on the oils lack ofoxidative stability. Daily recommended human seed consumption is limitedin many parts of the world due to the high level of cyanogenicglycosides found in the whole seeds. These produce toxic hydrogencyanide once exposed to the stomach's low pH environment, certainvitamin antagonists and estrogenic lignans, Thus, flax seed or flax seedmeal is generally not considered to be a good plant based source ofprotein or fiber due to its toxic components, antagonists and estrogeniclignans found in the seed meal.

Whey protein has also been used as a dietary supplement composition. Itis the name for a collection of globular protein that can be isolatedfrom whey, a by-product of cheese manufactured from cowls milk. It istypically a mixture of beta-lactoglobulin (˜65%), alpha-lactalbumin(˜25%), and serum albumin (˜8%), which are soluble in their nativeforms, independent of pH. Whey has the highest Biological Value (BV) ofany known protein.

The protein fraction in Whey (approximately 10% of the total dry solidswithin Whey) comprises four major protein fractions and six minorprotein fractions. The major protein fractions in whey arebeta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, bovine serum albumin andimmunoglobulins. Each of these components have importantdisease-fighting effects. In addition, whey protein is easilydigestible.

Whey protein can be denatured by heat. High heat (like the sustainedhigh temperatures above 72 degrees Celsius (160 degrees Fahrenheit)associated with the pasteurization process) denatures whey proteins,destroying some bioactive compounds, such as the amino acid cysteine.While native whey protein does not aggregate upon renneting oracidification of milk, denaturing the whey protein triggers hydrophobicinteractions with other proteins, and the formation of disulfide bondsbetween whey proteins and casein micelles, leading to aggregation withother milk proteins at low pH.

Whey protein typically comes in three major forms: concentrate, isolateand hydrolysate. Whey protein concentrates contain a low level of fatand cholesterol but generally have higher levels of bioactive compounds,and carbohydrates in the form of lactose—they are 29%-89% protein byweight. Isolates are processed to remove the fat, and lactose, but areusually lower in bioactive compounds as well—they are 90%+protein byweight. Both of these types are mild to slightly milky in taste.Hydrolysates are predigested, partially hydrolyzed whey proteins whichconsequently are more easily absorbed, but their cost is generallyhigher. Whey protein hydrolysate also tends to taste quite differentthan other forms of whey protein, usually in a way that many findundesirable but can be masked when used in beverages.

More than other protein supplements, whey protein powder is commonlyused by bodybuilders and other athletes to accelerate muscle developmentand aid in recovery. Some individuals with suppressed or otherwiseabnormal immune systems or degenerative diseases use undenaturedbioactive whey proteins to increase their antioxidant levels.Undenatured whey proteins are a good source of cysteine, a conditionallyessential amino acid which is the rate limiting factor for the body'sproduction of glutathione, an important antioxidant.

Examples of commercial whey proteins include those available in mosthealth food stores and supermarket health sections. They typically areformed of isolate/concentrate or isolate/concentrate/hydrolysatemixtures and are usually flavored so they can be mixed with water ormilk and consumed as a drink or shake. However, whey protein containslittle or no soluble or insoluble fiber and no PUFA content. Other dietavenues are desirable.

Salvia hispanica L. is a known, yet ancient, cultivated seed that wasconsumed by the Aztec and Mayan cultures where it was a highly prizedfood staple. In fact, their well balanced diet consisted primarily ofcorn, beans, amaranth and chia seed. In addition, chia seed is acritical component of the well known “Chia Pet” due to the seed'sability to readily absorb and retain moisture, its high level ofgermination and its sticky muco-polysaccharide outer seed coating.

In addition to consuming the whole seed, these cultures also prepared aready-to-drink, non-shelf stable (thus unstable) beverage by mixing chiaseed with various fruit juices including, for example, lime juice in aratio of approximately 1:12 to 1:30 seed to juice wt/wt ratios with orwithout the addition of sugar. The product, which is still made todaylocally in Central and South America, is commonly referred to as “ChiaFresca”. It is unstable, however.

Salvia hispanica L. is known to contain high natural levels of theessential polyunsaturated fatty acid triglycerides of alpha-linolenicacid (“ALA”) an “omega-3” fatty acid and linoleic acid (“LA”), anessential “omega-6” fatty acid, in a unique ratio of approximately3.3:1. The seed provides approximately 33% seed oil, 21% protein, 41%total dietary fiber and high levels of minerals such as calcium, iron,magnesium and phosphorus. The total composition of chia seed is wellknown to those skilled in the art. In addition, this seed, unlike flaxseed, contains no gluten, cyanogenic glycosides, lignans or vitamin Bantagonists. Therefore chia seed is an excellent source of essentialpolyunsaturated fatty acids, protein, fiber and minerals.

Some hundreds of years ago, the seed crop was destroyed during theSpanish conquest of the Central American cultures to interrupt the foodsupply. Only in recent years have agronomists successfully re-cultivatedthis re-emerging seed for use in “Chia Pets” and more recently as aviable source of the plant-based essential fatty acids, e.g., ALA andLA. The seed has unique benefits of high levels of the essential fattyacid esters of ALA and LA, protein, both soluble and insoluble dietaryfiber, and high levels of calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.An advantage is the seed typically contains no cyanogenic glycosides,Vitamin B antagonists or the phytoestrogenic lignans found in Flax seed.This makes the Salvia Hispanic L. seed an excellent and relatively newsource of plant based ALA and LA. Many unique properties of this seedare disclosed in US patent Application numbers 2002/0155182,2004/0185129, and 2004/0137132, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,332,803 and6,123,965, the disclosures which are hereby incorporated by reference intheir entirety.

Some commercial operators hydrate and separate seed coat polysaccharidefrom water pre-soaked seeds to derive a separated seed gel coat usefulin the preparation of gel enhanced beverages and later apply the wholeseed for the treatment and prevention of human diseases. The operatorsalso produce expeller pressed flour from Salvia hispanica L seed, whichis used either alone or admixed with other grain or legume seed flours,meat based seasonings, vegetable based pastes, diary-based products andthe like.

It is well known that solvent based or expeller press based extractionof Salvia hispanica L. seed leads to the isolation of seed oilcontaining high levels of the polyunsaturated essential fatty acidesters ALA and LA as well as other oils such as the saturated fatty acidesters of palmitic and stearic acids and the monounsaturated fatty acidester of oleic at levels as high as 30% of the seed weight. These oils,which are very rich in the polyunsaturated triglycerides of ALA and LA,are extremely unstable once exposed to any oxidative potential,including the oxygen found in air. Therefore, it has been found thatexposure of such the solvent extracted seed oil to air results in rapidoxidative degradation of the oil and accompanying oil rancidity, notunlike the oils derived from flax seed. Thus, the native oils that areextracted from Salvia hispanica L. exhibit very poor shelf life andpresent a significant challenge for shelf life stabilization. Therefore,the whole grain seed has been used extensively to date rather than itscomponent parts to deliver the health benefits of the seed in human aswell as animal diets. For example, in the Americas, Salvia hispanica L.seed has for a long time been first pre-soaked in water to absorb up tonine to twelve times its weight in water to which various fruit juiceshave been added to produce a product known as “Chia Fresca” forimmediate consumption.

Other details concerning the use of chia are found in the Opinion ofScientific Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies on arequest from the Commission related to the safety of chia (Salviahispanica L.) seed and ground whole chia seed as a novel food ingredientintended for use in bread, e.g., the EFSA Journal 278, 1-2; (2005);http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/nda/nda_opinions/catindex_en.html thedisclosure which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

However, there is a need for a cold or room temperature shelf stablechia seed containing beverage or beverage that exhibits pH dependentthixotropic properties. There is also a need for improved chia seedbeverages and chia seed compositions of matter and uses thereof asrelated methods that overcomes the drawbacks as noted above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a non-limiting example, a beverage is effective forenhancing gastrointestinal regularity and heart health. It is formed bya liquid comprising fruit derived juices, water, or naturally orartificially flavored water. A composition of matter is mixed within theliquid in a shelf stable pasteurized beverage form, and formed fromsterilized whole seed extracted from Salvia hispanica L. The resultingbeverage exhibits a pH dependent viscosity requiring no additionalthickening agents and is suitable as a beverage for human consumption.

In another aspect, the beverage includes a preservative for enhancingshelf life and a sweetener such as formed from sucrose, fructose, cornsyrup or an artificial sweetener. The composition of matter that ismixed within the liquid is derived from the sterilized whole seedextracted from Salvia hispanica and includes protein, polyunsaturatedessential fatty acid triglycerides, minerals and fiber in atherapeutically effective amount useful for maintaining gastrointestinalsystem regularity and delivering heart healthy polyunsaturated fattyacids, protein and minerals requiring no additional thickening agents.The protein, polyunsaturated essential fatty acid triglycerides andminerals and fiber are in an effective amount for controlling hunger viasatiety and requiring no additional thickening agents to effect suchsatiety.

A method of manufacturing the beverage is set forth by sterilizing cleanchia seed to prevent unwanted germination and pre-soaking the seed inwater at a ratio of from about 1:9 to about 1:30 wt/wt of seed to waterand from between about 5 to about 25 degrees Centigrade for about 3 toabout 24 hours to effect adsorption of the water by the seed and form agel-like outer coating on each seed and permit associated beveragethickening. The method includes adding the presoaked seeds to a fruitjuice, containing one or more sweeteners or preservatives or anycombination thereof. This can be followed by pasteurizing to form afinal shelf stable beverage. The beverage can be bottled.

In another aspect, the whole seed is added directly to dissolvedbeverage ingredients and stirred from between about 1 to about 24 hoursat between about 5 to about 25 degrees Centigrade to effect gel coatformation of the seed and associated beverage thickening. This can befollowed by flash or conventional pasteurization to prevent any postbottling seed germination and enhancing shelf life without requiringadditional thickening agents. In another aspect, the beverage isthickened by adding one or more acidulants to bring the pH of the finalbeverage to between about 3 to about 6.5. At least one of variouslipophilic or hydrophilic ingredients can be added.

There is also set forth a method for enhancing gastrointestinalregularity and heart health by drinking a beverage that comprises aliquid formed from fruit derived juices, water or naturally flavoredwater. A composition of matter is mixed therewith and comprises astable, partially or wholly defatted whole grain meal, derived fromSalvia hispanica L. whole ground seed, using a suitable solvent assupercritical carbon dioxide and containing about a 3.0 to about 3.3:1mixture of essential fatty acid esters of ALA and LA (Polyunsaturatedfatty acids “PUFA's”), admixed with lipophilic or hydrophilic additives.The total lipophilic content is between from about 0 to about 25 wt/wtpercent of the resulting meal weight and the resulting hydrophiliccontent is between about 0 and about 10 wt/wt percent of the resultingmeal with protein, soluble and insoluble fiber andfructo-oligosaccarides free of cyanogenic glycosides, vitamin Bantagonists, lignans and gluten.

Other aspects of the method are set forth. For example, the methodincludes preparing liquid concentrates or dried pre-mixes, includingprotein shakes, fruit smoothies, ready-to-drink beverages, dry beveragepre-mixes, frozen fruit concentrates, aqueous alcoholic beveragepre-mixes, concentrates or their dried pre-mixes, vitamin, carbohydrateand protein fortified meal replacement beverages, drinkable dairy andnon-dairy yogurts, gravies and dry gravy pre-mixes, and ready-to-drinkand dried pre-mixed infant formulas.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter. Thisinvention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and shouldnot be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather,these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thoroughand complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to thoseskilled in the art.

In accordance with non-limiting aspects, it has been found thatpartially defatted whole grain flour, resulting from a partial solventbased extraction of pre-milled Salvia hispanica L. seed, thoughcontaining significant quantities of polyunsaturated oils, includingessential polyunsaturated fatty acid esters of ALA and LA, is stable.This resulting flour's stability serves as an excellent, stable deliveryplatform for the essential fatty acid esters of ALA, LA, protein,soluble and insoluble fiber, minerals such as calcium, potassium,magnesium and phosphorus, and both lipophilic and hydrophilic additives,which is free of cyanogenic glycosides, vitamin B antagonists, ligninand gluten. The resulting product can be used as a food ingredient in abeverage and as a dietary supplement ingredient to various foods. It canprovide beneficial results in enhancing gastrointestinal regularity andheart health.

The resulting partially defatted whole grain flour, despite its uniquecomposition, exhibits an ability to reabsorb large quantities oflipophilic as well as hydrophilic additives while exhibiting a pHdependent thixotropic effect in aqueous environments. The flour as acomposition is a novel and inventive food or beverage or dietarysupplement ingredient delivery vehicle for lipophilic and hydrophilicadditives in the presence of protein, fiber, various levels of theessential fatty acid esters of ALA and LA and minerals that are free ofcyanogenic glycosides, vitamin B antagonists, lignin and gluten.

In accordance with a non-limiting aspect, the composition of matterenhances the protein, fiber, mineral content and pH controlled viscosityof beverages and their liquid concentrates, dried beverage pre-mixesincluding protein shakes and fruit smoothies, ready-to-drink beverages,beverage pre-mixes, frozen fruit concentrates, alcoholic beverage drypre-mixes and concentrates, meal replacement beverages, drinkable dairyand non-dairy yogurts, gravies and dry gravy pre-mixes, and ready todrink and dried pre-mixed infant formulas. The composition of matter canbe formed from wholly or partially defatted Salvia hispanica L. wholeground grain meal obtained by supercritical fluid extraction of Salviahispanica L. ground seeds.

In one non-limiting example, supercritical CO₂ fluid solvent extractionof pre-ground Salvia hispanica L. seed alone or in the presence of amixture of hydrophilic and/or lipophilic antioxidants is used to obtaina wholly or partially defatted whole grain meal containing variableamounts of the stabilized essential polyunsaturated fatty acid esters ofALA and LA (omega-3 and omega-6 esters) and optionally containing eithernon-native Salvia hispanica L. derived lipophilic or hydrophilicadditives. It is useful in a number of food applications.

The resulting seed meal provides a unique blend of protein, insolubleand soluble fiber, and variable amounts of the essential fatty acidtriglycerides of alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3, “ALA”) and linoleic acid(omega-6, “LA”) in a desirable and unique ratio of approximately 3.3:1.0ALA to LA, along with high levels of calcium, potassium, magnesium andphosphorus that is free of cyanogenic glycosides, lignans vitamin Bantagonists and gluten.

The resulting flour can be incorporated into beverages, dry beveragepre-mixes, liquid or frozen beverage concentrates and the like with theadded feature of pH controlled viscosity by either the amount of Salviahispanica L. derived meal that is added and/or by optionally loweringthe pH with an acidulant to improve further the viscosity of theresulting beverage.

Example 1

The composition of matter in this example is formed from a stable,partially or wholly defatted whole grain meal derived from Salviahispanica L. whole ground seed using a suitable solvent such assupercritical carbon dioxide. It is rich in minerals. In one aspect, itcontains about a 3.0 to about 3.3:1 mixture of essential fatty acidesters of ALA and LA (Polyunsaturated fatty acids “PUFA's”), and isoptionally admixed with lipophilic or hydrophilic additives, such thatthe total lipophilic content is between from about 0 to about 25 wt/wtpercent of the resulting meal weight and the resulting hydrophiliccontent is between about 0 and about 10 wt/wt percent of the resultingmeal, protein, soluble and insoluble fiber and fructo-oligosaccaridesand free of cyanogenic glycosides, vitamin B antagonists, lignans andgluten. It can be used to prepare a beverage, beverage concentrate ordried beverage pre-mix ingredient.

In one aspect, the composition as formed is added to a beverage, liquidconcentrate, or dried beverage pre-mixes. The composition can be usedfor prepared beverages, their liquid concentrates, and dried pre-mixes,including protein shakes, fruit smoothies, ready to drink beverages, drybeverage pre-mixes, frozen fruit concentrates, aqueous alcoholicbeverage pre-mixes, concentrates or their dried pre-mixes, vitamin,carbohydrate and protein fortified meal replacement beverages, drinkabledairy and non-dairy yogurts, gravies and dry gravy pre-mixes, and readyto drink and dried pre-mixed infant formulas. The composition with suchuses can include added lipophilic additives and added hydrophilicadditives. The pH range can be adjusted with the addition of one or moreacidulants to bring the pH of the final product to a pH of from about 3to about 6.5 to further thicken the resulting beverage.

The composition of matter as described and used can be prepared in apasteurized beverage form. In its use, it is shelf stable and containssterilized whole seed from Salvia hispanica L. in an admixture with awide range of liquid beverage components, including but not limited to,for example, fruit derived juices, water or natural or artificiallyflavored water such as colas, coffees, teas and the like. It can containa sweetener such as sucrose, fructose corn syrup or an artificialsweetener. It can also contain preservatives such as sodium benzoate andsuch other additives common to beverage formulations. The resultingbeverage exhibits a pH dependent viscosity. The resulting beverage isalso rich in fiber and is particularly useful for maintaining goodgastrointestinal system regularity in a convenient and tasty beverageform while delivering heart healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids, proteinand minerals.

Method of Manufacturing

In a non-limiting example of a method of manufacturing, clean chia seedis in a first step sterilized to prevent unwanted germination. Thesterilization of seed can be accomplished by flash steam treatment ofthe seed, by radiation and similar processes. Following sterilization,the seed is then pre-soaked in water in one example at a ratio of fromabout 1:9 to about 1:30 wt/wt seed to water for a period of time toeffect adsorption of the water by the seed and form a gel-like outercoating on each seed. Typical time required for such outer gel coatformation is typically from between about 3 to about 24 hours at about 5to about 25 Degrees Centigrade depending on the desired beveragecharacteristics. The pre-soaked seeds are added, for examples to a fruitjuice optionally containing one or more sweeteners, and/or preservativesto prepare the final beverage for pasteurization with a seed-to-juiceratio of from about 1:12 to about 1:50 wt/wt in this example. Thebeverage can be added to pre-washed containers and pasteurized to formthe final shelf stable beverage.

Optionally in yet another aspect, the beverage may be prepared by addingwhole seed directly to the other beverage ingredients dissolved in waterartificially or naturally flavored water or fruit juice, and optionallystirring from about 1 to about 24 hours and between about 5 to about 25Degrees Centigrade to effect gel coat formation of the seed andassociated pH dependent beverage thickening. The resulting beveragemixture is conventionally or flash pasteurized to prevent post bottlingseed germination and enhance shelf life.

Example 2

In a non-limiting example, the composition of matter is in a shelfstable pasteurized beverage form and contains sterilized whole seed fromSalvia hispanica L. in an admixture with a wide range of liquid beveragecomponents, including but not limited to, fruit derived juices, water ornaturally or artificially flavored water such as colas, coffees, teasand the like. It can contain a sweetener such as sucrose, fructose cornsyrup or an artificial sweetener, and contain preservatives such assodium benzoate and such other additives common to beverageformulations. The resulting beverage exhibits a pH dependent viscosityrequiring no additional thickening agents.

The beverage can be enriched in protein, polyunsaturated essential fattyacid triglycerides, minerals and rich in fiber particularly useful formaintaining good gastrointestinal system regularity in a convenient andtasty beverage form while delivering heart healthy polyunsaturated fattyacids, protein and minerals requiring no additional thickening agents.It can be useful for the control of hunger via satiety requiring noadditional thickening agents to effect such satiety.

A similar method of manufacturing as described relative to thatdescribed in Example 1 can be used. As noted before, supercritical CO2fluid solvent extraction can be used for Salvia hispanica L. seed aloneor in the presence of a mixture of natural hydrophilic and lipophilicantioxidants. Stabilized, partially defatted whole grain flourcontaining variable amounts of the unstable essential polyunsaturatedfatty acid esters of ALA and LA (omega-3 and omega-6 esters) is preparedfrom antioxidant pretreated, pre-ground seeds of Salvia hispanica L. Theresulting gluten free flour provides a unique blend of protein,insoluble and soluble fiber. The essential fatty acid triglycerides ofalpha-linolenic acid (omega-3, “ALA”) and linoleic acid (omega-6, “LA”)are in a desirable and unique ratio of approximately 3.3:1.0 ALA to LA,along with high levels of calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.The total oil content of the resulting flour can vary between about 1and about 25 percent wt/wt of the original seed oil content ofapproximately 33% wt/wt.

The resulting flour can be incorporated into beverages, dietarysupplement bars, nutritional bars, baked goods, confectionary fillings,icings, processed meats, peanut butter, jellies and the like as deliveryvehicle for quantities of the essential fatty acid esters of ALA and LA,protein, soluble and insoluble fiber, and minerals depending on theamount of ALA and LA retained in the partially defatted flour and theamount of the flour employed in the end user formulation.

In addition, the resulting partially defatted whole grain flour iscapable of re-absorbing and stabilizing relatively large quantities ofother lipophilic compounds providing a convenient vehicle for deliveryof these compounds in addition to ALA, LA, protein, insoluble fiber andminerals as an ingredient in food, beverage and dietary supplement basedformulations. The partially defatted whole grain flour can reabsorblipophilic compounds of from about 1 to about 25 percent of the weightof the partially defatted whole grain flour, depending on the level ofnative seed oil remaining in the solvent extracted, whole grain flour.

The resulting flour also exhibits unique pH dependent thixotropicproperties when added to aqueous based formulations such as beverages,including protein-based smoothies. It also provides a unique method orprocess for mitigating the undesirable free water associated withnutritional and dietary bar production, while providing ALA, LA,protein, soluble and insoluble fiber and minerals to such formulationsand providing other lipophilic compounds depending on the composition ofthe flour employed.

Example 3

The composition of matter, in accordance with another non-limitingaspect, is formed of a stable, partially defatted whole grain flourderived from Salvia hispanica L. whole ground seed, using a suitablesolvent, and is rich in minerals and contains from about 1 to about 25percent wt/wt of a 3.0 to 3.3:1 mixture of the essential fatty acidesters of ALA and LA, approximately 30% wt/wt protein, approximately30-40% insoluble fiber and about 2-3% of fructo-oligosaccarides, and isalso free of cyanogenic glycosides, vitamin B antagonists and gluten. Itis used as a delivery vehicle for the introduction of ALA, LA, protein,soluble and insoluble protein and minerals to foods, beverages anddietary supplements. It can be used either alone or in combination withother additives to enrich the healthiness or functionality of theresulting products.

In one aspect, the composition as a product is used with a beverage orprotein shake “smoothie” or nutritional bar or dietary supplement barenriched in protein, fiber, minerals and a controlled portion of ALA andLA. The product also can be used with a confectionary filling enrichedin protein, fiber, minerals and a controlled portion of ALA and LA. Itcan also be used with an icing or processed meat or peanut butter orjelly enriched in protein, fiber, minerals and a controlled portion ofALA and LA.

The product can also be used with a chocolate, pectin or gelatin basedconfectionary or dietary supplement whose inner filling, outer shell orintegrated composition is enriched in protein, fiber, minerals and acontrolled portion of ALA and LA. It can be used with a pasta enrichedin protein, fiber, minerals and a controlled portion of ALA and LA.

In another aspect, the composition of matter is a stable, partiallydefatted whole grain flour derived from Salvia hispanica L. whole groundseed, using a suitable solvent, rich in minerals, containing incombination, from about 1 to about 25 percent wt/wt of about a 3.0 to3.3:1 mixture of the essential fatty acids ALA to LA, and absorbedlipophilic additive(s), approximately 30% wt/wt protein, approximately30-40% of soluble and insoluble fiber and about 2-3% offructo-oligosaccarides, which are free of cyanogenic glycosides, vitaminantagonists and gluten. It is used as a delivery vehicle for theintroduction of ALA, LA, protein, soluble and insoluble protein,minerals and lipophilic additives to foods, beverages and dietarysupplements and used either alone or in combination with other additivesto enhance the healthiness or functionality of the resulting products.

In another aspect, the composition of matter is a stable, partiallydefatted whole grain flour derived from Salvia hispanica L. whole groundseed, using a suitable solvent, rich in minerals, containing, incombination, a total of from about 1 to about 25 percent wt/wt of abouta 3.0 to 3.3:1 mixture of the essential fatty acids ALA to LA, and anabsorbed hydrophilic additive, approximately 30% wt/wt protein,approximately 30-40% of soluble and insoluble fiber and about 2 to about3 percent of fructo-oligosaccarides and free of cyanogenic glycosides,vitamin antagonists and gluten, used as a delivery vehicle for theintroduction of ALA, LA, protein, soluble and insoluble protein,minerals and lipophilic additives to foods, beverages and dietarysupplements. It is used either alone or in combination with otheradditives to enhance the healthiness or functionality of the resultingproducts.

As noted before, using the super-critical CO₂ fluid extraction method ofpreparation, the resulting flour can be incorporated into beverages,dietary supplement bars, nutritional bars, baked goods, confectionaryfillings, icings, processed meats, peanut butter, jellies and the likeas a partially soluble delivery vehicle for heart healthy quantities ofthe essential fatty acids ALA and LA, protein and soluble and insolublefiber depending on the amount employed in the end user formulation.

Example 4

In another non-limiting example, the composition of matter is formed asa stable, partially defatted whole grain flour derived from Salviahispanica L. whole ground seed using a suitable solvent which is free ofcyanogenic glycosides, vitamin antagonists, gluten, rich in minerals andcontaining from about 1 to about 25 percent wt/wt of about a 3.0 to3.3:1 mixture of ALA to LA native seed oil, approximately 30% wt/wtprotein and approximately 30-40% insoluble fiber and 2-3% offructo-oligosaccarides.

The composition exhibits pH dependent thixotropic properties whenadmixed in water bearing compositions The composition can be formed aspartially defatted whole grain flour derived from Salvia hispanica L.whole ground seed containing from about 1 to about 25 percent wt/wt of amixture containing ALA and LA fatty acid esters, protein, insolublefiber, minerals and other lipophilic additives such as DHA or EPA fattyacid esters or other health or functional lipophilic compounds. Inanother aspect, it can include lipophilic compounds reabsorbed into theflour including one of at least rosemary oil, tocopherols, tocotrienols,carotenoids, seed oils, lipophilic solvent extracted botanical oils,lipophilic food flavorings or other health or functional hydrophiliccompounds.

In another aspect, the composition can include hydrophilic additivesre-absorbed into the flour such as, for example, hydrophilic solventextracts of botanicals, green tea extract, grape seed extract, ascorbicacid, caffeine, mono and/or polysaccharides, gums, phospholipids,biopolymers, hydrophilic food flavorings or other health or functionalhydrophilic compounds. In yet another aspect, the composition has beenpretreated with a suitable proteolytic enzyme or plurality of enzymes toproduce a novel probiotic mixture rich in essential amino acids. It canalso be pretreated with a suitable cellulase or amylase enzyme orenzymes, which degrades the soluble and insoluble fiber to produce anovel probiotic mixture rich in digestible monosaccharide andoligosaccharide units in another example.

In yet another method example, supercritical CO₂ fluid extraction isused on Salvia hispanica L. seed alone or in the presence of a mixtureof naturally available hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants. It ispossible to prepare a completely defatted whole grain flour frompretreated pre-ground seeds of Salvia hispanica L. The resulting glutenfree flour provides a unique blend of protein, insoluble and solublefiber, along with high levels of the minerals calcium, potassium,magnesium and phosphorus.

The resulting flour can also be incorporated into beverages, dietarysupplement bars, nutritional bars, baked goods, confectionary fillings,icings, processed meats, peanut butter, jellies, bakery goods and thelike as a delivery vehicle for protein, soluble and insoluble fiber andminerals or as a dessicant in food applications where excess watercreates a formulation problem.

In addition, the resulting defatted whole grain flour is capable ofre-absorbing and stabilizing relatively large quantities of otherlipophilic compounds providing a convenient vehicle for delivery ofthese compounds in addition to protein soluble and insoluble fiber andminerals as an ingredient in food, beverage and dietary supplement basedformulations. The defatted whole grain flour can re-absorb lipophiliccompounds of about 1 to about 25 percent of the weight of the defattedwhole grain flour.

The resulting defatted whole grain flour exhibits the ability toreabsorb large quantities of lipophilic as well as hydrophilicadditives, while exhibiting a pH dependent thixotropic effect whensubjected to aqueous environments. The defatted flour is a novel food,beverage or dietary supplement ingredient delivery vehicle forlipophilic and hydrophilic additives in the presence of protein, fiberand minerals that are free of cyanogenic glycosides, vitamin Bantagonists, lignin and gluten.

Example 5

In another non-limiting example, the composition of matter can be formedas a stable, completely defatted whole grain flour derived from Salviahispanica L. whole ground seed using a suitable solvent which is free ofcyanogenic glycosides, vitamin, antagonists, gluten, and containsminerals, approximately 30% wt/wt protein, approximately 30-40%insoluble fiber and 2-3% of fructo-oligosaccarides.

It exhibits pH dependent thixotropic properties when admixed in waterbearing compositions. Lipophilic compounds can be reabsorbed into theflour such as, for example, rosemary oil, tocopherols, tocotrienols,carotenoids, seed oils, lipophilic solvent extracted botanical oils,lipophilic food flavorings, polyunsaturated fatty acid esters or otherhealth or functional hydrophilic compounds. It can be admixed withhydrophilic additives re-absorbed into the flour such as, for example,hydrophilic solvent extracts of botanicals, green tea extract, grapeseed extract, ascorbic acid, caffeine, mono and or polysaccharides,gums, phospholipids, biopolymers, hydrophilic food flavorings or otherhealth or functional hydrophilic compounds.

In yet another aspect, the composition can be pretreated with a suitableproteolytic enzyme or plurality of enzymes to produce a probioticmixture rich in essential amino acids. It can be pretreated with asuitable enzyme or enzymes, which degrade the soluble and insolublefiber to produce a probiotic mixture rich in digestible monosaccharideand oligosaccharide units.

In yet another aspect, the composition of matter is formed as a astable, defatted whole grain flour derived from Salvia hispanica L.whole ground seed, using a suitable solvent, rich in minerals andapproximately 30% wt/wt protein, approximately 30-40% insoluble fiberand about 2-3% of fructo-oligosaccarides free of cyanogenic glycosideswith vitamin B antagonists and gluten as a delivery vehicle for theintroduction of protein, soluble and insoluble protein and minerals tofoods, beverages and dietary supplements, either alone or in combinationwith other additives, to enrich the healthiness or functionality of theresulting products. The composition of matter can be formed as a productin beverage or protein shake “smoothie” form and enriched in protein,fiber, and minerals. The final product can be a nutritional bar or adietary supplement bar enriched in protein, fiber, and minerals. It canalso be used with a confectionary filling or peanut butter or jellyenriched in protein, fiber, minerals or an icing or processed meatenriched in protein, fiber, minerals and a controlled portion of ALA andLA. In another example, it can also be used with a product such as achocolate, pectin or gelatin based confectionary or dietary supplementwhose inner filling, outer shell or integrated composition is enrichedin protein, fiber, and minerals. The product can also be used with apasta enriched in protein, fiber, and minerals.

This application is related to copending patent applications entitled,“CHIA SEED COMPOSITION,” which is filed on the same date and by the sameassignee and inventors, the disclosure which is hereby incorporated byreference.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come tothe mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachingspresented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings.Therefore, it is understood that the invention is not to be limited tothe specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications andembodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appendedclaims.

1. A beverage effective for enhancing gastrointestinal regularity andheart health, comprising: a liquid comprising fruit derived juices,water or naturally or artificially flavored water; a composition mixedwithin the liquid in a shelf stable pasteurized beverage form andcomprising sterilized whole seed extracted from Salvia hispanica L.; andwherein the resulting beverage exhibits a pH dependent viscosityrequiring no additional thickening agents and suitable as a beverage forhuman consumption.
 2. The beverage according to claim 1, and furthercomprising a preservative added to enhance shelf life.
 3. The beverageaccording to claim 1, and further comprising an added sweetenercomprising sucrose, fructose, corn syrup or an artificial sweetener. 4.The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the composition fromsterilized whole seed extracted from Salvia hispanica comprises protein,polyunsaturated essential fatty acid triglycerides, minerals and fiberin a therapeutically effective amount useful for maintaininggastrointestinal system regularity and delivering heart healthypolyunsaturated fatty acids, protein and minerals and requiring noadditional thickening agents.
 5. The beverage according to claim 4,wherein the protein, polyunsaturated essential tatty acid triglyceridesand minerals and fiber are in an effective amount for controlling hungervia satiety while requiring no additional thickening agents to effectsuch satiety.
 6. A method of manufacturing the beverage of claim 1,comprising: sterilizing clean chia seed to prevent unwanted germination;pre-soaking the seed in water at a ratio of from about 1:9 to about 1:30wt/wt of seed to water at from about 5 to about 25 degrees Centigradefor about 3 to about 24 hours to effect adsorption of the water by theseed and form a gel-like outer coating on each seed while providingassociated beverage thickening; adding the presoaked seeds to a fruitjuice, containing one or more sweeteners or preservatives or anycombination thereof; and pasteurizing to form a final shelf stablebeverage.
 7. The method according to claim 6, and further comprisingbottling the beverage.
 8. The method according to claim 6, and furthercomprising adding whole seed directly to dissolved beverage ingredientsand stirring from between about 1 to about 24 hours at between about 5to about 25 degrees Centigrade to effect gel coat formation of the seedand associated beverage thickening, followed by flash or conventionalpasteurization to prevent any post bottling seed germination andenhancing shelf life without requiring any additional thickening agents.9. The method according to claim 6, and further comprising thickeningthe resulting beverage by adding one or more acidulants to bring the pHof the final beverage to between about 3 to about 6.5.
 10. The methodaccording to claim 6, and further comprising adding at least one oflipophilic or hydrophilic additives.
 11. A method for enhancinggastrointestinal regularity and heart health by drinking a beverage thatcomprises a liquid comprising fruit derived juices, water or naturallyflavored water and a composition mixed therewith and comprising astable, partially or wholly defatted whole grain meal, derived fromSalvia hispanica L. whole ground seed, using a suitable solvent assupercritical carbon dioxide and containing about a 3.0 to about 3.3:1mixture of essential fatty acid esters of ALA and LA (Polyunsaturatedfatty acids “PUFA's”), admixed with lipophilic or hydrophilic additives,wherein the total lipophilic content is between about 0 to about 25wt/wt percent of the resulting meal weight and the resulting hydrophiliccontent is between about 0 and about 10 wt/wt percent of the resultingmeal and having protein, soluble and insoluble fiber andfructo-oligosaccarides free of cyanogenic glycosides, vitamin Bantagonists, lignans and gluten.
 12. The method according to claim 11,and further comprising forming a beverage, liquid concentrate, or driedbeverage pre-mixes to which the composition is added.
 13. The methodaccording to claim 11, and further comprising preparing liquidconcentrates or dried pre-mixes including protein shakes, fruitsmoothies, ready-to-drink beverages, dry beverage pre-mixes, frozenfruit concentrates, aqueous alcoholic beverage pre-mixes, concentratesor their dried pre-mixes, vitamin, carbohydrate and protein fortifiedmeal replacement beverages, drinkable dairy and non-dairy yogurts,gravies and dry gravy pre-mixes, and ready-to-drink and dried pre-mixedinfant formulas.
 14. The method according to claim 11, and furthercomprising thickening the resulting final beverage by adding one or moreacidulants for adjusting the pH from between about 3 to about 6.5.